Solskjaer wants as many as five new signings, with a right-back, centre-half and versatile forward in his sights and, depending on the futures of Ander Herrera and Juan Mata, one or two midfielders.

In addition to a significant recruitment drive, with England winger Jadon Sancho and Crystal Palace right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka among the targets, Solskjaer is also eager to promote a number of the club’s burgeoning young academy players as part of the rebuilding process.

United are not pursuing a goalkeeper since they have no intention of allowing David de Gea to leave this summer, despite the contract stand-off with the Spaniard that the club remain hopeful of resolving.

De Gea is out of contract at the end of next season but United have so far refused to meet his demands to double his existing £240,000-a-week wages, which would give him parity with the club’s top-earner Alexis Sanchez.

United tend to operate on the loose basis of three signings and three departures during a summer window but there could be more arrivals if Solskjaer manages to trim a squad bloated by players who have become peripheral figures.

There is uncertainty over the futures of as many as eight senior players, including Mata and Herrera, who are both free agents this summer but are demanding more money than the club are willing to pay. Herrera could leave for Paris St-Germain if he fails to take up the offer of a new three-year contract from United.

Antonio Valencia is expected to leave when the club captain’s contract expires at the end of the season and fellow defenders Matteo Darmian and Marcos Rojo are also likely to depart. It is understood United may listen to offers for Ivory Coast centre-back Eric Bailly if they manage to recruit a pedigree centre-half, with Real Madrid’s Raphael Varane and Kalidou Koulibaly, of Napoli, on the radar.

Sanchez’s future remains in doubt although both the Chile striker and United would have to make significant compromises to facilitate any move, unless a club from China was prepared to take on his £500,000-a-week wages.

Sanchez has three years left to run on his deal and United run the risk of being saddled with the 30-year-old for some time. As well as dealing a blow to their top-four hopes, United’s 2-1 defeat by Wolves on Tuesday – their third in four matches in all competitions – underlined the challenge Solskjaer faces to turn the club around.

Louis van Gaal, the former United manager, made six signings and offloaded eight senior players in the summer of 2015 and, while there are not expected to be that many ins and outs this time around, the club are braced for a busy close season, which will also include the appointment of their first technical director.

Sir Alex Ferguson, the former United manager and Solskjaer’s mentor, favoured a British core to his sides and the Norwegian wants a similar set-up. As well as Sancho, who would cost about £100 million to prise from Borussia Dortmund, and the £40 million-rated Wan-Bissaka, United are monitoring two more England players, West Ham midfielder Declan Rice and Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi.

However, Gareth Bale, the Real Madrid and Wales forward, is not believed to figure in United’s thoughts. United have also been linked with Bruno Fernandes and Saul Niguez, the Sporting Lisbon and Atletico Madrid midfielders, as well as Benfica forward Joao Felix and Barcelona’s Philippe Coutinho.